Balance-valve.



w. cfWEBSTER. BALANCE VALVE.

' APPLICATIUN FILED OCT. 2l. |915- Patented Aug. 21,1917.

uNirEn srnTEs PATENT oEEicE.

WILLIS c. WEBSTER, or DUBOIS, PENNSYLVANIA.

BALANCE-VALVE.

Leanser Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-.ed nag. ai, 1917.

Original application led May 1, 1915, Serial No. 25,273. yDivided and this application filed October 21,

l y 1915. seria1No.57,1e4. E

To all fio/wm t may concern:

l-lc it known that l, l/ViLLis C. WEBSTER, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Dubois, in the county oi Clearfield and State of lennsylvania, haveinvcnted certain new and useful Improvements in Balance-Valves, of

` which the `following is a specification.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in valves," being a division of a copendingapplication for `balanced valves, filed by me May 1,1915, and bearing the Serial No. 25,273, the primary object ot this invention consisting in the provision of a trictionless balanced valve.

A further object'of nay-invention consists in providing a valve oi.' the above described character which,l may be opened and closed manually or .inechanically.`

valve In accomplishing the above objects, I provide a valve casing divided by a septum or spider formed with a valve seat and a valve having an operatingstcm projecting beyond the casing and having a fiuid pressure passage which is closed when the valve engages the seat, the valve being supported and controlled by means of a plurality of diaphra gms secured to the valve and valve casing and forming a number of chambers,

\ communication between theinlet port of the valve and outlet `port thereoiI being established through lthe valvevitself and between certain of these chambers.

A further object ot' my invention consists therefore in providing a construction by means of whichthe valve, its stem and its diaphragms may be 4readily assembled and properly secured in the valve casing.

Vith these and other'objects in view, my invention will he more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying" drawing, and then specilically pointed outin the claims which are attached to and forma part of this application.

The drawing is a central, vertical sectical sectional view taken through .myfimproved valve.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description'and indicated in the drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved balanced valve includesa body or casing l0 open at its ends and cylindrical in' shape,- this body,

preferably the valve head. As a transverse yseptum or spider 11 having a plurality of enlarged equalizing passages 12 and formed centrally with a cylindrical bore 13 to receive the cylindrical body portion of a valve seat 14. This valve seat is preferably pressed into place in the bore 13 and at its lower end is provided with a circumferential shoulder face of the septum 11 to insure itsV proper positioning therein. This valve bushing is formed with a. central, cylindrical bore 16 which, near its lower end, is formed interiorly with spaced annular Shoulders U-shaped in section, projecting into the bore, the lower of these shoulders projecting to a less eX- tent than the upper to provide spaced frusto-conical valve seats 18 and 19. l These seats are preferably', although not necessarily, formed at the same inclination to the longitudinal aXis of the bushing and the lower seat is in effect formed in the lower face of the bushing.

(lo-acting with the above describedvalve seat, is a valve proper, indicated as a whole by the numeral 20. This valve includes a cylindrical head portion 2l and stem portion 22 having threaded connection with each other, as shown at 23. The head portion 21, which is equal in diameter to the bore 16 formed inthe bushing, is reduced to pro vide spaced frusto-conical shoulders or seat portions 24 and 25 adapted to engage the seats 18 and 19, respectively, of the bushing and to further provide an intermediate cylindrical portion 26. Above the upper of these seat portions 24, the valve is provided with a further reduced cylindrical portion 27 upon which the threads are cut which engage in the internally threaded socket of the lower end of the stem portion 22 of the valve, the lower end of such stem portion being exteriorly beveled, as shown at 28, to meet the reduced cylindrical 'portion 27 of result, when the valve and stem are assembled, the valve is capable of being opened until the beveled lower end 28 of the stem portion 22 engages the upper face of the upper shoulder 18, there being an annular chamber between the upper face of this shoulder and the beveled face 28v when the valve isclosed or open, due toy a" shoulder 18. The valve `stem proper pro-l 15 which engages the lower minal 30; of the valve stem, -a plug 3Q, slotted at 33 to receive a screw driver, beingf'em'- p-loyed to close the lower end of the bore B1 when the valve is in use. This bore, as will beflaterapparent, forms a .portion of the -lfluid* passage through tlievalve and itsidi-A ameter may, therefore, bevariedto suit the use to `which the'valve is to be put. v"lhe valve proper is fuirther provided with ra plurality of diainetrically formed bores or passages 5.4L which intersect thevl'iore 3l and which, atftheir outer ends, open into the cylindrical face 25 of the valve. The val-ve or stem. portion thereof is, in like manner, nrovided with one or more diametri-cally formed bores or passages intersecting the axial rbore 311 near its upper end, that is, at a point-intermediate between the shoulder 29? and reduced terminal 3() of the valve stem. i

Asthe entire fluid passing through my balanced valve passes through .th-ese bores or passages 34 and 35, it will bey clear that thesuin of thel cross sectional areas of the passages, of each group, above Vdescribed should atleast be equal? toor preferably' exceed the cross-y sectional:v area of the 4main bore( oripassage i A diaphragm 3G is vformed centrallyl with ,opening to receive the reducednterminal 37v of the valvey andengages against the annullarshoulder formed as a result of reducingvsuch terminal, being (-:lanipedv against this shoulder byv a vnut 3S, t Ar cotter pin or other suitable: anchoringdevice 39is passed through thisv nut, throughy the terminalof' the valve and` through, an opening formed in the. plug the plug andA nut against displacement. As clearly shown, the valve casinglO has' its lowerfedge reduced in thickness to provide ani annular seat l() tol receive the peripheral.,

edge ofthe diaphragin,`thisA seat being provided with! a circumferential channel in which a metallic pazcki-iigring 411,. preferably of softlead,4 is positioned to preventr leash.H

agel of fluidi past the edge of the diapl'iragm. A clamping ring itis positioned against theV outer face of the diaphragnian'd is secured inv place by a bonnet 43, which isthreaded intotheopen lower end-of the valve, casing. This: bonnet is formedv with avent port all andi stop 4:9`v spacedisomeivhat below the lower end of the valve stein and engageable 4 32 toy securely anchor bothby the valve stein upon opening of the valve to a certain extent to-prevent furtherL movement of the valve. f

The upper portion of the valve casing 10 is cut away interiorly to provide spaced annular shoulders 50 and 5l, the interior diameter of the casing, above the shoulder 50, as a result, being greater than the interior diaineter of ther main body` of the casing, while vthat above the shoulder 5l is greater than that above the shoulder 50. A diaphragm 59 is formed centrally with an opening to receive the r'educedupper end of the valve stem, this diaphragm seatii'ig centrally upon the annular shoulder f 29 and peripherally upon 'the shoulder 50, this latter shoulder having its face channeled to receive a metallic packing ring. A sleeve 54 surrounds the stem portion of the valve 21, seating atv its lower end upon the diaphragm 52 and at its upper end supporting a further diaphragm 4 Theivall of this sleeve ifs provided with openings 55I adapted to aline with the ends ofthe. passages 35 and is further' provided. in its inner face with a longitudinally extending channel 57 to receive the. end ofk a pin 58 extending radially from the stein portion ofthe valve, this pin and channel serving to insurey proper' positioning of the sleeve 5l about the stem portion of the valve to bring its openings 56y into alinement with the ends of the passages- 35.

A ring` or collar 59 tits-closely within that portion of the valve casing above the shoulder 5()T seating at its lower edge iipon the peripheral edge portion of theV diaphragm 52 and* at-its upper. edge receiving the periphy eral edge ofthe diaphragm 55. rlhis ring or collar is lorovided at one slide with a port oir. passage GO which alines with al port or passage .6l formed. in the valve casing,this

dially from the wall of the valve casing.

The; upper end of the collar 59 is externally reduced to forma shoulder 64 inthe same horizontal plane with the shoulder 5l in order thatametallie packing ring 65 may be seated between the ring andvalve casing and below the diaphragm 55.

A. clamping ringA 6G is positioned directly above the diaphragm 55, engaging the peripheral edge of the diaphragm to hold it in placeaiidis secured in place by a bonnet 67 closing the uppernend of the valve casing` A nut 7() ,is threaded upon the threaded terminal@A 3 0 of the" stem portion of the valveQQ tov clampthe centraliA portion of" theV diaphragm. 55 ,against` the upperl end of the Sleeve 54:` andi to, conseqiiently,-hold' the central portion of the diaphragm 52 between the lower ,end of such sleeve and the shoulder 29, this nut being secured against displacement from the stem portion of the valve by a `cotter pin 71v or equivalent fastening device. j

It will be apparent. that the diaphragme 36, 52 and 55 divide the valve casing into a plurality oiiuchambers 74, 75, 7 6 and 77 and that the valve 2O is adapted, when opened, to establish communication between the chambers 75 and 76. A duct or passage 78 is cored through the wall of the valve casing to provide an inlet or outlet passage, according to whetherfthe passage 6l is utilized as an inlet or outlet passage and, for the sake ot convenience, this duct is preferably so formed that its outer end is in alinement with the passage 6l in order that the valve may be readily inserted in a pipe line. The passages 6l and 78 extend through externally threaded nipples 7 9 which, in connection with the coupling devices 80, provide means for connecting the valve to pipe sections. f f

Preferably, theclamping ring 42, collar 59 and clamping ring 6 6 are each provided interiorly with an annular rib or shoulder S1 by means ot which they may be readily grasped and withdrawn from the valve casing in case the valve is being disassembled for repairs or cleaning purposes.

In order that the valve may be accurately balanced, under all conditions, it is necessary that the areas of the surfaces of the diaphragms, which are exposed to pressure, be the same. By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the ,diaphragme 52 and`55 are exactly equal to each other in area and that, for this reason, any pressure in"y the chamber 7 6, whether it enters through the valve or through the alined passages 60 and 61, will in noway tend to either open or close the valve, having no effect thereon. This is due to the fact that the pressure exerted against the diaphragme 52 and 55 is equal and that the pressure in the chamber 7 6, acting in the bore 3l of the valve, acts i `equally against the upper closed end of the bore, against the plug 32, closing the opposite end, and against opposite sides of the passages 34 and 35, with the result that such pressure in no way tends to either open or close the valve.

Assuming that there is any pressure in the chamber 7 5, it will be clear that the fluid in `such chamber will act'equally against both diaphragms 3G and 52 with no effect on the valve. It will, therefore, be clear that any pressure in the chamber 7 5, when the valve is closed, will have absolutely no effect, tending to either open the valve or to4 hold it more closely to its seat. Again, it will be clear that the :tact will be the same when the valve 20 is open, as the valve will then be subject to a slight downward pressure against its conical faces 23 and 24, which pressure is balanced by an upward pressure against its face 28.

The bonnet 67 has an atmospheric vent or passage 86, whereby the upper face of the diaphragm is, at all times, subjected to atmospheric pressure and is provided centrally with an opening and the stem portion 22 oi" the valve 20 is Iformed with a reduced extension 87 `projecting through this open.- ing and providing a means for manually .operating the valve. Furthermore, by means ot this extended portion 87 of the stem` it will be apparent that the valve may be operated by any suitable mechanism, such as a centrifugal Vgovernor or by means oit solenoids, electro-magnets or other equivalent devices.

The operation of the valve will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. Under normal circumstances, that is, with the valve closed, the valve will be held to its seat but without any real application of force tending to prevent its unseating, irrcspective of the pressures which it is controlling, due to the fact that all fluid, under pressure, entering the chamber 7 5 has no effect either to seat or unseat the valve and that all pressure in the chamber 76 likewise has no effect upon the valve. It will, theretore, be clear that` if the least inward pressure is applied to the stem the valve will be moved to open position, the amount of its opening being ot' course dependent upon the force applied. soon as the valve has partially opened, iluid under pressure entering from the chamber 75 may pass upwardly between the faces 19 and 18 of the valve seat and faces 25 and 24 of the valve into the passages 3ft and so into the main passage 3l ot the valve. From this passage, the fluid escapes through the alined ports or passages 35 and 56 to the chamber 76 and so from the valve through the outlet passage 6l. If the force applied to the stem is removed, the valve will close, thereby shutting oli" all flow of fluid therethrough.

A number of advantages which my valve structure possesses over balanced valves of the types now in use will be readily apparent from the foregoing description. Many of the-so-called balanced valves require considerable effort :tor their opening andA closing, due to friction between the parts, valves of the piston type being chief among them. Again, many valves of the so-called balanced type depend in their action, either wholly or partially, upon springs which balance the valve only in one position and, with use, require constant adjustment and which 'also deteriorate and require renewed tensioning. All of these diliculties are done away with by my valve structure.

Furthermore, I have provided a valve which," with slight modifications, may be controlled either manually or mechanically. gaimwhile many of the so-called balanced valves are balanced by lm-coming pressures they are not for out-going pressures or the reverse, or if balanced by both such pressures, they are balanced only when these ressures bear certain definite relations to each other, or only when the valve is closed or when opened.

lt is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the details of construction, without in any way affecting the proper operation of my improved valve mechanism and l do not, therefore, wish to in any way limit myself to such details, reserving the right to make any changes, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention. -v A Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A valve including a casing, 'diaphragms extending across the casing near the ends thereof and exposed at their outer sides to atmospheric pressure, the casing being formed between the diaphragms with an inlet and an outlet port, an additional diaphragm dividing the casing between. the ports, and a valve secured to all of the diaphragme and controlling passage' of Huid from the inlet port through the added diaphragm to the outlet port.

2. A valve including a valve casing provided adjacent its ends with diaphragme exposed at their outer surfaces to atmospheric pressure, the casing being provided between the diaphragms with an inlet and an outlet port, an additional diaphragm dividing the casing between the ports, a

valve seat between one ofk the rst dia# phragms and the additional diaphragm, and

Copies of this'patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressngvthe Commissioner of l'a'cents,r

a hollow reciprocally mounted valve carried by all of the diaphragme and adapt'edfto establish communication between the ports through the added diaphragm and tov shut olf such communication when in engagement with its seat.

3. A valve including a casing having inlet and outlet ports, a pair of diaphragms eX- tondino` across the casing and both subjected heir outer surfaces to atmospheric upon pressure and one subjected upon its inner surface to fluid pressure through the inlet port and ythe other upon its inner surface to fluid pressure through the outlet port, an additional diaphragm subjected upon its opposite faces to pressures from both ports, and a valve secured to and movable with all of the diaphragms and capable of establishing or cutting off communication between the ports.vr

4. A valve including a casing open at its ends, provided adjacent its ends with inlet and outlet ports and between the ports with a webv formed with openings and with a valve seat, a diaphragm fixed across the casing between the web and one or' the ports, diaphragms-positioned against the end portions of the casing, bonnets fixed to the end portions of the casing and clampingfthe last named diaphragmsin place, each of the bonnets being formed with an atmospheric port and one of the bonnets being formed with a central bore, a valve fixed to all of the diaphragms and having a passage adapted in one position to establish communication between the ports and in another position to be closed through engagement of the valve with the valve seat, and a stem extending from the valve and vfitting closely in the bore of the bonnet.

In testimony whereof, l affix my signature.

WLLLIS C. WEBSTER [n s] Washington, I). C.

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